US should be in the dock alongside its old pal Saddam

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Many of the charges to be faced by the former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein before a tribunal set up by the new interim government could also be levelled at his once staunchest ally: the United States.

The US military supplied Saddam with no less than 14 different strains of the deadly anthrax virus in 1988 to help hasten the end of the Iran-Iraq war. The US was also largely responsible for supplying Saddam with chemical weapons to suppress the Kurdish uprising in Halabja. In a UN Security Council resolution condemning the attack, the US was the only member to vote against the resolution.

And when Saddam had informed the then US ambassador to Iraq, April Gillespie, of his plans to invade Kuwait, she raised no objections. Her equivocation was interpreted by Saddam as a green light from the US to go ahead.

Saddam's trial has already been dubbed the trial of the century. But because he did not act without the implicit support of the US, they should both be put on trial for committing these crimes against humanity.

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The Reverend Dr Vincent Zankin, Rivett (ACT), July 2.

I see that Saddam Hussein calls George Bush the real criminal. Looks like the chardonnay socialists have found a new ally.

Stephen Hunt, West Ryde, July 2.

A huge picture of an unkempt Saddam Hussein is not a good idea first thing in the morning ("A tyrant in the dock", Herald, July 2). Especially if you're trying to hold down breakfast.

I know his coming trial is a big news event but maybe you should only show him after his Queer Eye makeover. Then he might be slightly more presentable to those of us who start work early.

David Skidmore, Dulwich Hill, July 2.

We can only hope that the trial of Saddam Hussein will muzzle the enemies of the freedom of the Iraqi people.

George Fishman, Vaucluse, July 2.

It is right that the tyrant Saddam Hussein has been brought to trial. It would also be right if a greater share of the profits from Iraq's natural resource, oil, were to be delivered to the restoration of the health, housing and welfare of its oppressed citizens.

Pamela Chippindall, Point Piper, July 2.

Anyone who has ever confused a legal system with a justice system need only listen to Saddam Hussein's lawyers. I think they may be getting paid by the hour.

Clint Oliver, Penshurst, July 2.

No, David Atkinson (Letters, July 2), the "left" would not prefer the democracy in Iraq to fail. What is being disputed is the legitimacy of a forcibly imposed democracy that is the product of an illegal war based on lies that has left a country in ruins.

I argue that it is the dangerously primitive "right" who, by sanctimoniously proclaiming that good has defeated evil and hanging off the coat-tails of the US, are the true "miserable lot".

Simon Tedeschi, Sydney, July 2.

David Atkinson, I fully support the chance of democratic freedom in Iraq. My concern and negativity stem from being lied to so frequently over the last few years that I no longer trust the overseers of "democracy".

The US leadership understands capitalism - they do not understand democracy. That is why they ignore world opinion whenever it suits them.

Michael Lloyd, Sapphire Beach, July 2.

The US Supreme Court has ruled that the prisoners at Guantanamo Bay have a right of access to the US courts. The British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, has declared that the procedure for the proposed trials of the prisoners is unnacceptable. Are you listening, John Howard?

Frederick Forster, West Ryde, July 2.

Twice the baby bonus must be worth two votes each

Why not solve the problem of overpayment of the family allowance bribe by allowing the affected families to vote twice?

Robert Molyneux, Tempe, July 2.

If I attend a rebirthing class, can I claim the baby bonus?

Louise Yabsley, Camperdown, July 2.

To all families who received double election-bribe payments - please consider donating the excess to a local public school or hospital. At least you'll know the money's going where it's needed most. If you don't like this idea, here's another: donate it to a registered charity, then claim the donation on your tax return. A double whammy boot against this monumental stuff-up.

Please, don't send it back to Centrelink - the money will be lost in the bureaucratic red tape wrapped around Kay Patterson's head.

Kim Cochrane, Stanwell Park, July 2.

So John Howard has said that he won't "chase" families who have been double paid the baby bonus. As a taxpayer, I'd be far more comfortable if I knew that he would at least chase the people and systems who have made the stuff-up.

Richard Pocock, Elizabeth Bay, July 2.

Hang on a bit, Valmai Sutton (Letters, July 2). We mothers need free steak knives, too - to cut our kilo of steak bought with the $600 bribe. Mind you, they don't need to be too sharp to use on the cheap mince meals that will follow.

Zehra George, Oyster Bay, July 2.

Better invest that baby bonus in a high-interest term deposit as soon as you get it - you're going to need it and much more if your child wants to go university in 18 years' time.

Angela Barrett, Kensington, July 2.

Bugger the baby bonus for newborns. How about giving it to the parents who still have older "children" living at home?

Glenys O'Leary, Normanhurst, July 2.

So John Howard is to write to those who received an overpayment of the bonus and suggest that they pay it back. Can we now expect that he will also write to all those who "legally" minimise their tax payment and request that they also remit the difference between their legal and moral tax rates?

Peter Wotton, Gordon, July 2.

There's a hole in the maths, dear Bob ...

Mr Carr: my husband and I have worked hard to have four children for this country of ours so lacking in population growth. Now I am hearing that to raise them I will be penalised because my household of six people needs more water than a household of two or three. Is this really the way to go?

Surely we can take a household's usage and divide by the number of people living there to ensure that even though we may use more per household, we actually use less per person.

I've put the children on odd/even days for baths. Every other day I carry buckets and buckets of their bathwater and throw it in the garden. We have fitted drip irrigation to our garden system. Our cars are filthy. We're even starting to look a little dirty as well.

I agree that water is very cheap, but please do not penalise those of us who chose to have large families when that was the prevailing mantra.

Jennifer Quilkey, Balmoral, July 2.

Perhaps now is a good time to invest in Boral shares. It won't be long before pavers/bricks replace lawns.

Carolyn Wills, Cremorne, July 2.

When the cyclonic rains do come to Sydney there will be, going on past experience, more than enough water to fill a couple of dams the size of Warragamba. Now that the water level in the dam is so low, shouldn't we be taking the opportunity to raise the dam wall?

Surely it is better to be able to fully utilise what water will inevitably come instead of allowing it to flow away to the sea and then have to institute some water-saving procedures that may or may not work.

R.D. Morrison, Riverstone, July 1.

Terror terriers

The Ombudsman's report on the misuse of police sniffer dogs highlights the State Government's contrived agenda to both visible policing and drugs ("Sniffed out and searched: one man's humiliation", Herald, July 2).

One can only hope that the increased terrorism threat will see these expensive canines and their handlers put to more effective use in future.

Waiting for a train that never arrives is bad enough, without having to strip to your underwear at the whim of an Alsatian.

S. Dawson, Kiama, July 2.

Peddling pedalling

If the Government wants to fight childhood obesity, active transport is the way to go. Funding safe cycleways to schools, for example, would allow kids to incorporate physical activity in their daily routines. This simple and cheap solution comes with many free extras.

Good bike facilities would reduce our growing dependence on foreign oil. As kids rode to their sports on a Saturday morning, parents could sleep in for a change, and perhaps even alleviate Peter Costello's concerns over our fertility rate.

Despite frequently registering on the "do not call" list, I still receive endless annoying calls. Apart from the annoyance, when I'm not home these calls divert to my mobile and cost me real money.

Robbie Prince, Roseville, July 2.

This morning I hung up on my umpteenth telemarketing call from a charity (working in a field of activity I consider to be part of any civilised government's core responsibility). I did this with gritted teeth for it ground against my basic instinct to help others in need. And I shall continue to do this until this practice ceases.

Is this the type of employment that our governments brag about as evidence of "economic growth"?

Meanwhile, there seems no shortage of funds for taxpayer-funded pork-barrelling and promotion of the party in power through saturation advertising.

Pritam Sekhon, Fernleigh, July 2.

But wait, there's more

In addition to the myriad evils already attributed to private education, Mike Fullerton (Letters, July 2) asks, "Are heavier traffic, dirtier air and millions of working hours lost in traffic jams some of the hidden costs of private education?" Surely a longer bow could never be drawn. Why not crop circles and drought as well, Mike?

Andrew Simpson, Saint James (WA), July 2.

Off the track

No one questions the courage of the Australians involved in the fight for the Kokoda Trail. One can, however, question the judgement of some modern authors who prefer to exaggerate Australia's role in any event and seem unable to place things in context ("On the beaten track", Herald, July 1).

Australian troops did not face an enormous Japanese army but one consisting of two half-starved infantry regiments fighting at the end of a tenuous supply line. The Japanese high command decided, weeks before the retreat began, to shift the focus to Guadacanal.

The idea that Kokoda saved Australia from invasion is just as misinformed. The Japanese never planned to invade Australia. Even before the Battle of the Coral Sea, the Japanese only intended Port Moresby as an air base from which to isolate Australia. The army estimated it would need at least six divisions, which it didn't have and which the navy could not transport.

After the Battle of Midway the Japanese were unable to support one division in the critical battle for Guadacanal, which was being fought at the same time.

Stephen Thomas, Wahroonga, July 1.

Greeks return fire on and off the footy field

Aussies were probably wondering what the huge explosion was that woke them early this morning. It was only us Greek Australians sustained on Greek coffee and ouzo yelling in excitment at our approval of the underdog Greece winning its soccer match to get into the Euro 2004 final.

Con Vaitsas, Marrickville, July 2.

Gotta love this city. It was free coffee for all this morning at the Greek cafe next door. And they were giving the Italians heaps. The Greeks are finally returning fire after decades of suffering at the hands of their Mediterranean neighbours.

Eric Viana, West Ryde, July 2.

Since as a small child I scored both goals in a one-all draw, soccer has been Greek to me.

Bill Carpenter, Bowral, July 2.

No Becks, please

If Saddam Hussein gets the death penalty, can we ask that David Beckham not take it?

Matt Luxford, Terrigal, July 2.

A sinister trend

Only one right-handed batsman in the Australian top seven. Bill O'Reilly must be turning in his grave.

Tony Watson, Penshurst, July 2.

In common with Camilla

Why make a big fuss about Camilla Parker Bowles being a kept woman ("Prince Charles makes it official - Camilla is a kept woman", Herald, July 2)? Cripes, I'm a kept man - I'm kept from smoking, I'm kept from drinking; the list goes on ... and on.

Merv Bartlett, Inala (Qld), July 2.

Always these boring Windsors. Why don't you let us know what Mary is doing these days, instead?

Veronika Pawlik, Mona Vale, July 2.

The promised forest

With National Tree Day just around the corner, whatever happened to the billion trees that Bob Hawke promised to plant?

Gerard Kirwan, Cremorne, July 2.

Yeah, baby

Paul Stevens (Letters, July 2) asks if "baby" is the most ridiculously overused word by songwriters. What can I say except, "Yeah, yeah".

Joseph Boulous, Merrylands, July 2.

Maybe the cliches "sunshine after the rain", "desert after the storm" or any combination of the above, would be worthy adversaries for that title, Paul.

Di Hubbard, Sydney, July 2.

Regular riser

According to your paper, the sun has been rising at the same time of 7.01am for well over a week now. Why is this so?

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